ärisuuruste

ärisuuruste is the Estonian term used to refer to the size class of a business, a concept central to economic statistics and policy analysis. The form ärisuuruste is the genitive plural of ärisuurus (business size) and appears in texts describing the distribution of enterprises by size. The concept encompasses how companies are grouped to reflect scale, resources, and market impact.

Usage and classification: In official statistics and business registries, firms are categorized into micro, small, medium, and large. The classification is typically based on the number of employees, and can also include turnover and balance sheet totals. These categories help measure economic structure, productivity, and employment effects, and guide policy measures such as subsidies, regulatory relief, or program targeting.

Standards: The European Union commonly uses thresholds that Estonia adopts for statistical purposes: micro enterprises have fewer than 10 employees and annual turnover or balance sheet not exceeding 2 million euros; small enterprises have fewer than 50 employees and turnover/balance sheet not exceeding 10 million euros; medium enterprises have fewer than 250 employees and turnover/balance sheet not exceeding 50 million euros. Large enterprises exceed these thresholds. Some datasets may use employee counts alone.

Significance: Distinguishing by ärisuuruste helps compare sectors, study employment patterns, and assess the impact of economic policy. Researchers and government bodies publish distribution by size to analyze market structure and access to finance.

Origin and usage: The term derives from Estonian words är (business) and suurus (size) and is widely used in statistical reports, business registers, and policy discussions in Estonia and in EU-compatible datasets.